


Sneak Peek

by passing-fanciful (kageygirl)



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Episode Tag, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-14
Updated: 2015-11-14
Packaged: 2018-05-01 15:29:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5211083
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kageygirl/pseuds/passing-fanciful
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A look ahead at the future.  (Maybe.)</p>
<p>Spoilers for 5.07, "Nimue."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sneak Peek

Finally, Emma is _warm_ again.

The sun’s glinting off the waves, soaking into the deck of the _Jolly Roger_.  Her pirate is close behind her, the flat of his hook bracketing her hip, his voice in her ear as he lets her steer the ship and his lips dropping the occasional kiss to her neck.

But more importantly, it’s Emma, and _only_ Emma, the rime of dark ice melted away from her heart, feeling creeping back in after so long a time.

Even at the height of her anger, the darkness had been so _cold_.  

She grew accustomed to the numbness, and being able to feel is still a novelty, so she jumps a little when Killian’s fingertip skims under the line of the chain she wears around her neck.  His amused exhale puffs against her ear.

“I’ll have this back now,” he says, continuing to stroke idly at her skin, and it takes her a moment to process the words.  When she does, she turns in his arms, feeling a frown pulling down the corners of her mouth.

“Why?”  It comes out challenging, but she gathers her hair off her neck in order to draw the chain over her head.  He might be a pirate, but she’s never known him to be needlessly petty about his possessions.  

“Must there be a reason, love?” he says lightly, but there’s something weird going on with his expression that she can’t quite place.

“You said this ring kept you safe.”  She presses it into his palm, but doesn’t let go, wrapping her hand around his.  "Are you planning to get into life-threatening danger?  Because I might have a thing or two to say about that.“

He gives her a quick smile.  "Nothing of the sort, I assure you.”

He’s a little nervous, which in itself would be strange enough to put her on her guard–or, it would have, once.  But he’s not being truly evasive, and she trusts him, so she squeezes his hand before pulling back, leaving the ring with him.  "Okay.“

She watches as he winds the chain several times around his hook, and then picks open the clasp with careful fingers.  Once open, he unspools one end enough to slide the ring free.

"The only danger I plan to court today is the bated breath with which I’ll await your reply,” he says softly, turning the ring over in his fingers.

“Reply to what?” she asks, trying to keep her impatience in check.

The exasperation in his face lets her know that she’s failing.  He shakes his head, and then holds up the ring between them.  "The last time I gave you this, you thought I might be proposing.“  

And then he sinks to one knee, and the bottom drops out of her stomach.

"Killian,” she breathes, with the last of the air in her lungs.

“And given your reaction at the time,” he says, in that paradoxically casual tone he uses when the stakes are _really, really high_ ,  "there’s no telling how this might go–“

"Yes,” she says, without thinking, without second-guessing.  She’s never been so sure of anything in her entire life as she is about _them_.

He stills, staring up at her, his eyes starting to go wide.  "Aye?“

” _Yes_ ,“ she repeats, and drops to her knees, throwing her arms around his neck.

"Should’ve known you wouldn’t even let me get the question out,” he grumbles in her ear.  She pulls back to look at him, and his attempt to sound stern and grumpy is ruined by the brilliant smile lighting up his face, the joy shining from his eyes.  "I had a whole speech prepared, love,“ he says, his voice gentling into fondness.

"Tell me later,” she whispers against his lips, and say _yes_ again, this time without words.


End file.
